Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1887-06-20
THE "FREE TRADE" DODGE.

We notice that it is getting to be quite
the thing to apply the term ''free trader"
to anv paper or man who favors the elm
nation of the war taxes, and the conse-
quent rescue of the people from whole
sale pillage.
How many of those who use the term
Gree trade" so recklessly, pause to re-
feet, or even to inquire, what the term
really implies? Free trade means the
abolition of all duties; the wiping out Of
all customs. In all of the United States
there are probably not half dozen pure
and simple free trade newspapers.
This free trade stigma is cast just now
especially upon Democratic journals. 1t
is being used as a weapon by those who
desire to see the present destructive and
CALLING taxation kept up that a surplus
may ever accumulate in the National
Treasury as fund to be checked against
by party corruption. 1t is needless to
add, however, that these free traders"
are Republicans.
The Democratic position on this ques-
ton is plain enough, and is fully recog-
nized by the people. 1t is the position
embodied in the platform upon which
stood the robbed Tilden, and upon which
Cleveland was made President. This
Democratic proposition is that no more
restrictions shall be imposed upon or
maintained on the liberty to carry on
trade or commerce, external or internal,
than are absolutely necessary to meet
the requirements Of the State for revenue,
and for the enforcement Of necessary
police and sanitary regulations-in other
words, a tariff for revenue only.
The Democratic party does not demand
"free trade" as charged by contempo-
raries of Republicanism and plunder, but
it does demand that the robber surplus
OF the treasury shall be wiped out, and
that demand it will see enforced. On
this subject the Kansas City Times says:
For last month, May, the public debt
statement shows a decrease of S76SS, ,997
the cash in the treasury afterward being
nearly $500, 10000. TWENTY-FIVE years ago
the war closed, since which time the public
debt has been decreased $1,000, ,0O0, 900, or
an average annually of $73.00O,0O0. One
billion, six hundred million! Is the enor-
nifty of this sum comprehended at single
glance-can it be thus comprehended?
What other nation on this earth could have
levied and collected such vast volume of
taxes in order to pay off such colossal sums
of money? The debt is now only little
over 40 per cent. of what it was at its high
est point, and yet, while the amount of
taxes collected by the Government in 1865
was S32z, 900, 900, the amount collected last
year, 1886, was $336, ,000, 900, or $4,000, 900 a
year more than they were in the year the
war ended.
How much longer is it supposed that such
financial management as this is going to be
permitted by the people? The war tariff
taxes still gorge the treasury with money
which is poured out wastefully upon every
job which comes along, no matter what
so only 1t helps to reduce the surplus and
keep the robber tariff still astride the neck
of the country.
After this month, June, there can be no
moro legitimate debt reduction, then why
should the people be taxed to pile up any
more money in the treasury Why should
they be forced to provide for a debt that is
not due for nearly ten years, and which can,
furthermore, be amply provided for by the
operInon5 of the sinking fund? Why, to
be sure! We bave just said. To keep the
present tariff from being reformed, re-
modelled or reduced in any possible manner,
and to denounce every man or newspaper as
a free trade crank who proposes any plan
for raduptipO